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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Wesley E. "Wes" Cantrell is a Republican member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing District 22. He was first elected to the chamber in 2014.

Education

  • Graduated, Industrial Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Masters of Divinity, Southwestern Seminary

Professional Experience

  • Graduated, Industrial Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Masters of Divinity, Southwestern Seminary
  • Associate Pastor, Student Ministries, Piedmont Baptist Church, 2006-present
  • Teacher, Cobb County School System
  • Former Youth Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
  • Former Teacher/Executive Director, Positive Choices, Cobb County Commission on Children & Youth
  • Former Executive Director, First Priority, 1997-2007
  • Founder, The King's Academy, 1999
  • Founder, First Priority, 1997

Political Experience

  • Graduated, Industrial Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Masters of Divinity, Southwestern Seminary
  • Associate Pastor, Student Ministries, Piedmont Baptist Church, 2006-present
  • Teacher, Cobb County School System
  • Former Youth Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
  • Former Teacher/Executive Director, Positive Choices, Cobb County Commission on Children & Youth
  • Former Executive Director, First Priority, 1997-2007
  • Founder, The King's Academy, 1999
  • Founder, First Priority, 1997
  • Representative, Georgia State House of Representatives, District 22, 2015-present
  • Candidate, State of Georgia House of Representatives, District 22, 2020

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Education

Member, Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications

Secretary, Information and Audits

Secretary, Juvenile Justice

Chair, Small Business Development

Member, Study Committee on Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Health HR 421

Member, Subcommittee on Education

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • Graduated, Industrial Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Masters of Divinity, Southwestern Seminary
  • Associate Pastor, Student Ministries, Piedmont Baptist Church, 2006-present
  • Teacher, Cobb County School System
  • Former Youth Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
  • Former Teacher/Executive Director, Positive Choices, Cobb County Commission on Children & Youth
  • Former Executive Director, First Priority, 1997-2007
  • Founder, The King's Academy, 1999
  • Founder, First Priority, 1997
  • Representative, Georgia State House of Representatives, District 22, 2015-present
  • Candidate, State of Georgia House of Representatives, District 22, 2020
  • Member/Former Sunday School Teacher/Young Adult Pastor/Deacon, Woodstock First Baptist

Other Info

Date of Wedding Anniversary:

February 22, 1986

Policy Positions

Georgia State Legislative Election 2016 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- Yes

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Georgia's budget.

1. Tapping into Georgia's "rainy day" fund
- No

2. Decreasing funding for public universities
- No

3. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No

4. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No

5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

State Spending:

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Slightly Decrease

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Slightly Increase

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes:

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Eliminate

4. Small business taxes
- Greatly Decrease

5. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

7. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Eliminate

9. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Eliminate

10. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Eliminate

11. Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases?
- No

12. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- No

3. Corporate
- No

4. Political Party
- No

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

5. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

6. Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

3. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer

4. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- No Answer

5. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No Answer

6. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No Answer

7. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- No Answer

8. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No Answer

9. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- No Answer

10. Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them?
- No Answer

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No Answer

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No Answer

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No Answer

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No Answer

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No Answer

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- No Answer

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Georgia high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No Answer

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No Answer

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Georgia's energy infrastructure?
- No Answer

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- No Answer

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No Answer

6. Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No Answer

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- No Answer

4. Do you support allowing concealed carry on public college campuses in Georgia?
- No Answer

5. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No Answer

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- No Answer

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- No Answer

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No Answer

5. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No Answer

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No Answer

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- No Answer

2. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Georgia's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

3. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Georgia's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

4. Based on the religious beliefs of the owners, should businesses be allowed to refuse services to their employees and/or customers?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer